Combining OSR with NH CX 860

[Theswede]

This is the second season I am running my NH CX 860, during the first season I only harvested wheat and barley... both with good results. In a couple of days I will probably start harvesting some OSR, and since I have never combined any OSR I thought I would ask you guys for some pointers and helpful tips!

I have read the manual but it didnt really explain how to combine OSR any good... Only thing I actually learnt, besides reading the settings table, was that I should use the smooth bottom plate for the returns... Are you guys adjusting or chaning anything else when putting OSR through the combine instead of wheat or barley?

Any help appreciated!

 

[Lincs Lass]

We had a TF42 and seem to remember the reel was fully forward and lifted right up and hardly turning ,the feed auger in the bed was lifted slightly to give it more space between the bed .
Concave was opened to prevent the drum blocking and I think the drum speed ran slower as the pods only need tapping not hammering .
Fan needs to run slower aswell else you,ll blow everything away
Yes you do need the smooth return plate in and shut the gap in the sieves.
Might be a good idea to carry a roll of agri tape aswell to stick over any bolt holes and round the elevator covers ,it escapes out of ever hole it can find
Used to cut most of our osr early evening when the heat had died down ,the pods were less likley to shatter before it was on the bed

 

[bert]

Yes, there are 2 long black levers on the right hand side of the machine, one that pulls the concave away from the second rethresher and impeller. Open the inspection panel Behind the drum and you can see it moving.

The other lever slackens the drive belt on the second rethresher and impeller. change the belt over on both pulleys into the other pair of grooves to slow down the speed.

These both stop the straw and pods been smashed up and getting into the sample, I also use these setting for beans.

 

[Theswede]

We had a TF42 and seem to remember the reel was fully forward and lifted right up and hardly turning ,the feed auger in the bed was lifted slightly to give it more space between the bed .
Concave was opened to prevent the drum blocking and I think the drum speed ran slower as the pods only need tapping not hammering .
Fan needs to run slower aswell else you,ll blow everything away
Yes you do need the smooth return plate in and shut the gap in the sieves.
Might be a good idea to carry a roll of agri tape aswell to stick over any bolt holes and round the elevator covers ,it escapes out of ever hole it can find
Used to cut most of our osr early evening when the heat had died down ,the pods were less likley to shatter before it was on the bed

Is it crucial to raise the header auger? And if so, is it much work? This years OSR is just trial for me so it is just 3 hectares... I would rather not adjust header for 5 hours for a one hour harvest!

 

[Theswede]

Yes, there are 2 long black levers on the right hand side of the machine, one that pulls the concave away from the second rethresher and impeller. Open the inspection panel Behind the drum and you can see it moving.

The other lever slackens the drive belt on the second rethresher and impeller. change the belt over on both pulleys into the other pair of grooves to slow down the speed.

These both stop the straw and pods been smashed up and getting into the sample, I also use these setting for beans.

Many thanks, do I need to adjust rpm on the sieves as well? Manual says its possible but not crucial? What rpm do you usually use for the fan in OSR?

 

[Lincs Lass]

O well if it only a little trial plot ,,it just lifted because OSR straw is very bulky and if the bed auger is running close to the bed ,it might get jammed under it

 

[Theswede]

O well if it only a little trial plot ,,it just lifted because OSR straw is very bulky and if the bed auger is running close to the bed ,it might get jammed under it

Ok, think I try to manage without it this year!

 

[Deerejon]

We have an cx8070. So similar build. Lift the auger takes 20 mins, slacken 4x bolts each side under the guards then wind up auger each side via one bolt. Open right guard as mentioned above on combine. And change belt speed. And open 2nd concave lever nearest front wheel in rearward position. Change re-thresher doors for the smooth ones check clearance of these as grain can still get smashed here if not set properly. Top pre sieve in 3rd notch from top. Top Sieve 4-8mm bottom sieve 2-4mm. Wind 500rpm drum I've been as low as 430rpm this year to avoid cracking our rape was 5% moisture, concave last year was 28-32mm this year I've been as far open as 42mm obviously all in cab settings is crop, weather, machine dependant. Make sure to keep combine full.

 

[bert]

Many thanks, do I need to adjust rpm on the sieves as well? Manual says its possible but not crucial? What rpm do you usually use for the fan in OSR?

Never changed the RPM speed of the sieves or adjusted the table auger, although I did jam it twice in a very big heavy crop the other year, but it did just reverse out again. Fan RPM i run around 700 in big crops and keep the combine full. I think people are too cautious on fan speed. Drum around 600. Sieves as above really.

 

[Theswede]

We have an cx8070. So similar build. Lift the auger takes 20 mins, slacken 4x bolts each side under the guards then wind up auger each side via one bolt. Open right guard as mentioned above on combine. And change belt speed. And open 2nd concave lever nearest front wheel in rearward position. Change re-thresher doors for the smooth ones check clearance of these as grain can still get smashed here if not set properly. Top pre sieve in 3rd notch from top. Top Sieve 4-8mm bottom sieve 2-4mm. Wind 500rpm drum I've been as low as 430rpm this year to avoid cracking our rape was 5% moisture, concave last year was 28-32mm this year I've been as far open as 42mm obviously all in cab settings is crop, weather, machine dependant. Make sure to keep combine full.

Thank you for all info, much appreciated! How much do you lift the auger?

 

[Deerejon]

Thank you for all info, much appreciated! How much do you lift the auger?

Hi from the top of my head it's 13mm for wheat 26mm for osr measured from the edge of the flights on the auger to the table. When you slacken the 4 bolts at each end the auger bearing flange has elongated bolt holes i just raised mine 1/2-3/4 up the slot. You also need to slacken the drive chain before altering auger height then re-tension after. Then if you have the varifeed header push the table out i run mine around 4-5 on the scale an if you hit a thin patch of rape i pull the table in so the auger pulls the crop in rather than dip the reel in an risk wrapping or worse shattering pods. It's also worth performing a kill stall for your own piece of mind. You will be very surprised at how much of your loses are from your header and not sieves and wind! Keep your reel up an out and slow rotation.

 

[Theswede]

Hi from the top of my head it's 13mm for wheat 26mm for osr measured from the edge of the flights on the auger to the table. When you slacken the 4 bolts at each end the auger bearing flange has elongated bolt holes i just raised mine 1/2-3/4 up the slot. You also need to slacken the drive chain before altering auger height then re-tension after. Then if you have the varifeed header push the table out i run mine around 4-5 on the scale an if you hit a thin patch of rape i pull the table in so the auger pulls the crop in rather than dip the reel in an risk wrapping or worse shattering pods. It's also worth performing a kill stall for your own piece of mind. You will be very surprised at how much of your loses are from your header and not sieves and wind! Keep your reel up an out and slow rotation.

I did harvest the OSR today, I managed fairly well. I totally agree about the header losses, did not do a kill stall but I checked under the combine and after the combine and I also found that the most losses were from the header. Combinewise everything went well but in some patches I had some trouble with the header not feeding very well in the centre. Could this have to do with auger not being adjusted?

 

[Deerejon]

I did harvest the OSR today, I managed fairly well. I totally agree about the header losses, did not do a kill stall but I checked under the combine and after the combine and I also found that the most losses were from the header. Combinewise everything went well but in some patches I had some trouble with the header not feeding very well in the centre. Could this have to do with auger not being adjusted?

In what way did it struggle? Blocking up or not feeding in a shorter crop? Tbh last year i cut 300 acres of rape without raising the auger never had any problems. This year our rape was very dry an found i had some off the ball combine settings. Your problem could be several problems... Auger height, green stems in trams or shady areas, table out to far in shorter crop, retractable fingers set wrong.There is a slow down sprocket you can fit to the auger to reduce speed, we don't have this but is advised. I doubt your header loses were from the auger, most likely pod shatter from knife vibration shaking the stems, or reel touching. Or even from the weather but rape isn't the easiest crop to crawl through in front of the header to see if it's shattered before you've even got there, although you can usually see the whiter looking pods which have.

 

[Theswede]

I did actually have a look a meter or two into the standing rape and it was a few seeds on the ground but not that many. As it was only 3 hectares it was hard to pin point the feeding problem. But I felt like I had problem with 80-100 cm in the middle... actual problem felt like it was the auger not pushing it up to the feeder house but it eventually led to the cutterbar missing some rape because of the big hump of rape in the middle. It also felt like the auger needed a bit too much help from the reel to be satisfied... And because I had to use the reel as much as I did I think I had some unnecessary losses from the header...But its not easy to assess the amount of losses when you have never combined it before, nor even grown it.

 

[super4]

I did actually have a look a meter or two into the standing rape and it was a few seeds on the ground but not that many. As it was only 3 hectares it was hard to pin point the feeding problem. But I felt like I had problem with 80-100 cm in the middle... actual problem felt like it was the auger not pushing it up to the feeder house but it eventually led to the cutterbar missing some rape because of the big hump of rape in the middle. It also felt like the auger needed a bit too much help from the reel to be satisfied... And because I had to use the reel as much as I did I think I had some unnecessary losses from the header...But its not easy to assess the amount of losses when you have never combined it before, nor even grown it.

If your serious about growing rape in the future a rape extension would cure a few of the problem experienced above. There are a few around now, as more people move to vario headers.

 

[Wiking]

Where abouts in Sweden are you? Any idea on what it yielded? Like super4 said if you could get a header extension if you want to grow it on a larger scale.

 

[Theswede]

If your serious about growing rape in the future a rape extension would cure a few of the problem experienced above. There are a few around now, as more people move to vario headers.

Where abouts in Sweden are you? Any idea on what it yielded? Like super4 said if you could get a header extension if you want to grow it on a larger scale.

It has already crossed my mind, but with around 20-30 ha a year its kind of hard to justify... maybe if I can find a used one for a bargain price...

The rape yielded 3650 kg/ha over the weighbridge with 8.5 % moisture. I am from Öland btw!